Post-Game Notes
October 02, 2004 10:45 PM | General
MSNsportsNET.com
October 2, 2004
West Virginia game captains were Rasheed Marshall, Ben Lynch, Jerry White and Charles Hales. Coach Rich Rodriguez selects game captains each week. Team captains will be elected at the end of the season.
Virginia Tech’s 19-13 victory was the first time in the series since 1993 that the winning team failed to score at least 20 points in the victory: West Virginia defeated Virginia Tech 14-13 in Morgantown.
West Virginia’s defense has not permitted an offensive touchdown in each of its last two games and only one over its last three games (Maryland). Virginia Tech’s lone TD came as a result of a blocked kick and James Madison’s score last week was the result of a fumble return.
West Virginia’s loss to unranked Virginia Tech was the sixth time in school history a Top 10-ranked Mountaineer team has lost to an unranked opponent. Ironically, the last time it happened was against Virginia Tech in 1989 when the unranked Hokies defeated the No. 9-rated Mountaineers, 12-10 in Morgantown.
ESPN commentators spent a good portion of the broadcast discussing whether or not Jahmile Addae’s hit on Virginia Tech tight end Jeff King should have been a personal foul or not.
Mountaineer punter Phil Brady had a solid performance, punting nine times for an average of 43.9 yards per punt and a long of 52. He also pinned Tech inside its 20 once.
Ridwan Malik was WVU’s lone first-time starter against Virginia Tech. The Mountaineers now have a total of 34 players with at least one game of starting experience. Jeff Berk made his 34th consecutive start, leading the Mountaineers.
Adam Jones’ interception in the first quarter was his third of the season and eighth of his career.
Defenses have done a pretty good job of bottling up wide receiver Chris Henry through West Virginia’s first five games. The junior has one catch this year covering 50 yards or more and three of 25 yards or longer. Saturday Virginia Tech held Henry to just 43 yards on five catches. Last season as a sophomore Henry had 16 catches of 25 yards or longer. He is still searching for his first 100-yard receiving game of the season.
When Virginia Tech led 3-0 in the first quarter, it marked the first time this season that the Mountaineers have not scored first in a contest. West Virginia was last held scoreless through the first half in the 2004 Toyota Gator Bowl loss to Maryland.
West Virginia went scoreless in the first quarter for the first time this season. For the season, the Mountaineers have outscored their opponents, 35-6 in the first quarter.
Virginia Tech held West Virginia scoreless in the first half, marking the first time since last year’s Gator Bowl that WVU did not score in the first half. Maryland led 24-0 at the half in that game.
Eric Wicks’ interception return for a touchdown was the first interception and first touchdown of his career. The last time a Mountaineer returned an interception for a touchdown was by Adam Jones at Boston College last season (49 yards).
Adam Jones moved up two spots to sixth in all-time career kickoff yardage at WVU. Jones now has 1,097 career return yards. He passed Fulton Walker (1977-80, 1,066 yards) and James Jett (1989-92, 1,086 yards) to move into sixth place.
Rasheed Marshall’s 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the longest rush of his career. His previous best was a 44-yard rush in 2001. The touchdown run was his second rushing touchdown of the season and 22nd of his career.
With 22 career rushing touchdowns, Marshall moved into a tie for fourth place in career rushing touchdowns at WVU. He ties Kerry Marbury (1971-72) for fourth place.
Marshall now has 55 touchdowns that he has been responsible for during his career, moving him into fourth place all-time at WVU. Ira Errett Rodgers (1915-19) is WVU’s all-time leader with 66.
West Virginia’s loss to Virginia Tech snaps an 11-game Mountaineer regular season win streak and a two-game winning streak against the Hokies.
The Mountaineers were 0 of 13 on third-down conversions Saturday against Virginia Tech. For the season WVU is now 20 of 63 on third downs, a 31.7-percent success rate.
Believe it or not, West Virginia actually averaged more yards per play Saturday than Virginia Tech (4.3 to 4.1). The difference was Virginia Tech ran 24 more offensive plays than the Mountaineers (81-57).
West Virginia had seven three-and-outs Saturday against Virginia Tech and only one drive of 10 plays or more. That one resulted in the blocked field goal for a touchdown.
Both teams combined for 25 penalties for 251 yards. This same Big East officiating crew called 19 penalties for 200 yards in West Virginia’s home win against Rutgers last year.
October 2, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Post-game notes following Virginia Tech’s 19-13 victory over West Virginia Saturday afternoon in Blacksburg:
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| West Virginia's defense has allowed only one offensive touchdown over the last three games.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
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